ENTRIES for the Grade 1 novice hurdles were revealed this week but a lot will remain unclear for some time yet with so many horses having more than one entry. The Dublin Racing Festival will clarify the Irish scene with Irish stables dominating the entries again.

Willie Mullins provides the current favourites for the three older age contests. He has won the Supreme on five of the last 12 runnings and supplied the beaten favourite on two other occasions in 2020 and 2023. His entries total 23 for the Supreme, 29 for the still unsponsored Baring Bigham, 17 for the Albert Bartlett and 12 for the Triumph.

Ballyburn, Mystical Power, Mirazur West, Ile Atlantique are all entered in the Supreme and Baring Bingham.

Tullyhill has only one entry, in the Baring Bingham, and Readin Tommy Wrong along with High Class Hero is in the Baring Bingham and the Albert Bartlett.

Gordon Elliott’s novices are led by Firefox, Farran Glory and Caldwell Potter, all with entries in the two shorter distance races.

Nicky Henderson has won two of the last four with Shishkin and Constitution Hill and presents the biggest threat from Britain with dual winner Jeriko Du Reponet

Mullins is four wins from the last 10 in the Baring Bingham, and with Ballyburn, Readin Tommy Wrong, Mystical Power and Ile Atlantique to chose from. Harry Fry’s Gidleigh Park looks the best of the longer distance hurdles – he runs today in the last at Cheltenham.

Ante-post suggestions for the Albert Bartlett have been numerous so far this winter with near 20 different horses put forward by various tipsters, and predictably, many of whom are not even entered.

The average SP from the last 10 years has been 21.2/1 which includes two for Mullins and one each for Paul Nicholls and Henry de Bromhead so there is plenty of time to ponder, take into account going to still find a double figure winner here.

Surprisingly

Perhaps surprisingly, the Triumph is the only race to see a decrease in the entries – 44 this year as opposed to 59 last season. Winter favourite Burdett Road warms up at Cheltenham today and takes on the Kempton winner, Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino, with Paul Nicholls’ Kalif Du Berlais along with Gary Moore’s Grade 2 Chepstow winner Salver also to the fore.

The Irish are led by Mullins maiden winners Storm Heart and Bunting - the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown will clarify matters.

Supreme Novices’: Mystical Power 4; Jeriko Du Reponet 5; Ballyburn 7; Caldwell Potter, Farren Glory 12; Firefox 16; Mirazur West 16; King Of Kingsfield, Its For Me, Ile Atlantique 20

Baring Bingham Novices’: Ballyburn 4; Readin Tommy Wrong 7; Mystical Power 10; Ile Atlantique 9; Gidleigh Park 10; Caldwell Potter 12; Slade Steel 14; Farren Glory 14; Predators Gold 16; Jango Baie, Captain Teague, Quai De Bourbon 20, High Class Hero 20; Johnnywho, Peaky Boy 25; Daddy Long Legs 33 I Will Be Baie 25

Triumph Hurdle: Burdett Road 7/2; Sir Gino 6; Storm Heart 6; Bunting 8; Salvator Mundi 12; Kargese, Salver 14; Nurburgring, Majborough, Kala Conti, Kalif Du Berlais, Highwind 16; Anzadam 20; Mighty Bandit 20; Peking Opera 20; Liari 20; Intellotto 20; Wodhooh 20

Albert Bartlett: High Class Hero 7; Readin Tommy Wrong 8; Loughglynn 14; Lecky Watson 14; Johnnywho, Captain Teague, Shanagh Bob 16; Gidleigh Park 20; My Trump Card, Stellar Story, Predators Gold, I Will Be Baie, Welcom To Cartries, Croke Park 20; Deafening Silence 25.